Kabalevsky: Symphony No2; Symphony No1

On this CD:

1. Symphony No. 1 in C sharp Minor, Op 18
Composed by Dmitry Kabalevsky
Performed by Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Loris Tjeknavorian

2. Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op 19
Composed by Dmitry Kabalevsky
Performed by Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Loris Tjeknavorian

3. Spring, symphonic poem for orchestra, Op. 65
Composed by Dmitry Kabalevsky
Performed by Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Loris Tjeknavorian

4. Pathétique Overture for orchestra, Op. 64
Composed by Dmitry Kabalevsky
Performed by Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Loris Tjeknavorian

Tracks:

Sym No.1 in c#, Op.18, First Movt: Andante Molto Sostenuto
Sym No.1 in c#, Op.18, Second Movt: Allegro Molto Agitato E Con Spirito
Sym No.2 in c, Op.19: First Movt: Allegro Quasi Presto
Sym No.2 in c, Op.19: Second Movt: Andante Non Troppo
Sym No.2 in c, Op.19: Third Movt: Prestissimo Scherzando
Spring-Sym Poem, Op.65
Ov Pathetique, Op.64

Customer Reviews:

Heart and Enthusiasm over Teflon any Day.......2004-11-14

I hear plenty of modern "perfect" performances that leave a well-written piece sitting dead in the water. To give excessive weight to "precision" and "intonation" in a critique of a performance is to sometimes miss the point entirely. These are the analytical tools best applied to clockmaking, not art. [One notable and strikingly unimaginative critic in a prominent review magazine is obsessed with comparing "timings" of various interpretations--as if it's all a horse race of some sort--and I'm amazed the editor allows him to get away with such insufferable and insulting nonsense]

Anyway, I've heard plenty of rough and tumble recordings by this conductor with this orchestra and I've enjoyed them all--so much so that I'm slowly picking up most of them. The band sounds like it's giving things its best and heartily relishing the results (...and isn't that a wonderful thing in these antiseptic times!), which means that some overlooked pieces, like the Khatchaturian symphonies and these by Kabalevsky suddenly become worth owning and listening to.

Here I strongly recommend that a listener takes off the mask and surgical gloves, sets aside the fine wine and brie, and instead grabs some vodka and black bread and has a wild and drunken Soviet debauch!

The worst orchestral sound I've ever heard.......2003-08-31

I'm sharing most opinions of previous rewiever about Kabalevsky's music, he has certainly not wide horizons like shostakovich and prokofiev. But he wrote some acceptable and modern-western sounding music in his times, and I cannot say all his work bad.

However, the main problem is playing of armenian philharmonic in this recording, listen to their uncertain orchestral tone-especially diffuse, oily-cum-oriental vibrato of strings and third-rate brass playing turned this western-serious soviet symphonies to caucasian folk music played by ten-piece village band; or if there was a symphony orchestra in the times of "1001 nights tales" it would be sound like that.

I've listened many good recordings of Loris Tjeknavorian at the past, mostly recorded by british orchestras, and i thing he's a capable conductor, but his collaboration of Armenian Philharmonic (i thing it depends on enthusiasm about establishment of orchestra of free Armenian Republic), is a total disaster.

I cannot imagine any familiar work of soviet composers like shostakovich or prokofiev, or more familiar orchestral works like Tchaikovsky, played by Armenian Philharmonic, it will be certainly sound like between catastrophy and comedy.

Enjoyable Soviet symphonies.......1999-10-31

Dmitri Kabalevsky is often criticized for being simplistic, and this CD will not change that perception for most listeners. Neither symphony recorded here has any great pretensions at depth, but they are quite diverting and exemplify the "positive" Soviet symphonism of the 1930's and '40's. They come nowhere near the depth of a Shostakovich or a Prokofiev, but Kablevsky's gift for melody and his wit distinguish these works from other, more "humdrum" symphonies from this era. Tjeknavorian and his Armenians perform passably, although intonation is at times a bit sketchy (which keeps me from giving it a 4-star review). Fans of Kabalevsky's famous 1st cello concerto and of his popular "Comedians" ballet will doubtless enjoy this recording, and Russian music fans who are not familiar with this composer might consider checking it out.

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

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